My new notebook has been in use for a couple of days, and I'm already seeing a few heat problems. It's a Dell XPS m1530, so the slim chassis and the higher-end parts don't sit too well.

 

My first question is if heat really is so bad. What effects does it have on parts, and will it decrease performance? (I hope I didn't ruin it already.)

 

Secondly, when running anything intensive, the notebook occasionally shuts itself off for no apparent reason, even when charged. I'm thinking that this is to protect itself from heat, but surface temperatures are always relatively cool. So does anyone have any good reasons?

 

Thanks.

If you're running Windows, try downloading SpeedFan to see how hot the notebook is actually getting inside.

if the notebook is shutting itself off that means internal temperatures are triggering the alarm where it shuts down before any permanent damage due to heat can take place.

 

i'd suggest getting a cooling pad for doing intensive stuff.

If it's new you should definitely talk to tech support, since you've paid for it, and consider posting/reading the appropriate Dell forum for that model, which may reveal a common problem with a useful temporary workaround discovered by other users.

The thing is, he isn't doing intensive things, which is why it threw me off a little.

Donut.hole has a notorious history of over-estimating heat problems, but this was just odd.

I did notice it shutting off once while attempting to play Red Alert 2 on it, but that's hardly strenuous.

Certainly sounds like something's broken... possibly one of the fans isn't working

The heating really isn't that bad. Sure, it shut off a few times, but that could be anything.

All laptops heat up, and if they can't handle the heating they aren't a very good laptop.

As I said, check something like SpeedFan that can actually tell you how warm it is internally. That'll give you a better idea of the problem.

perhaps the heatsink has come unseated? that can cause major problems for heat dissapation. killed my laptop but only cause the thing was rattling round in there and rerouted the powercircuit through, well everything.

Thanks for all the responses Cap'n, Insane Alien, Pangloss, and Bascule. (sorry I didn't reply). And thanks to you too, antimatter, for explaining the problem. The problem hasn't persisted since the temperatures have gone below 80F. If I just use the laptop in lower temperatures, there's no problem.

 

But there's one thing I've noticed. The problem happens when I run games from a disk. Anyone got any theories?

CD/DVD drives generate a fair bit of heat. you can test this for yourself be taking a disk out after its been used and feel how hot it can get.

 

as your laptop already has thermal issues, it won't be helping the matter much.